Adjustable track hurdles



Sept. 20, 1955 J. M. VERKUILEN ADJUSTABLE TRACK HURDLES 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 20, 1953 l R o mw l N E l.|--- EM ww NNI l\\ O mw m O O \\\-0 ww N w. W H Si uw 0 w J wm/www WW hm wk o w $1 w m d l.. m I l, V1. ILA Q 1l JM E f @NJ Il w. l @w 9 f1.1 l N JMW.

Sept. 20, 1955 Filed May 20, 1953 J. M. vERKUlLl-:N 2,718,397

ADJUSTABLE TRACK HURDLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JOH/V M. VER/(U/LE/V United States Patent l" 2,118,397 ADJUSTABLE TRACKHURDLES Jo'hnM. Verkuilen, Denmark, Wis. -'Application May 20, 1953 "Seria'liNm '356,149

4 claims. lrc1. 27a-59) j 'This invention relates to hurdles, and particularly to irnproved't-rack hurdleswherein quickly adjustable means are provided lfor selectively varying the position and height of the cross bar 'frame ofthe hurdle. l

v It is an important object of my invention to provide an adjustable hurdle having a base including uprights which have pivotally mounted thereon in vertically spaced positions .a plurality of manually adjustable stops or hinge-like members whose end ,portions are positionable to temporarily hold the movable cross bar frame at varying heights. A Y A A further object of my invention is the provision of track hurdles having a plurality of automatic hinge-like stops pivotally mounted-in vertically space dpositions on the uprights of the base which are adapted to engage the lower portions of the vertically movable and slidably mounted `lframe, said fra-me .hav-ing angular brackets on the opposite ends =thereof which Yslide 'along `'the uprights of the base -and which maintain -t-he cross bar framein vertical Iposition in relation to .the -base uprights.

Other and further objects of my invention will be apparent from the following description and claims.

On the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of my novel adjustable track hurdle embodying the feature of my invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation looking at the right hand portion of said hurdle and illustrating the adjustable stop means and different positions of the legs and brackets of the movable cross bar frame.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross section taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view 'aken on line 5--5 of Fig. l.

As shown on the drawing:

The base of my hurdle comprises a pair of wood bars or strips and 11, connected at intermediate points by a lower wood link or connecting bar 12 which is secured by nails or screws to said bars 10 and 11.

Numerals 13 designate a pair of wood spaced apart standards and numerals 14 designate a second pair of wood parallel standards or uprights. The lower ends of said two pairs of uprights are secured to the opposite ends of link 12 respectively and on the opposite sides of bar 12 by nails or the like. The base strips 10 and 11 are preferably also secured by nails or the like to said uprights 13 and 14. The upper ends of the uprights 13 and 14 are connected by a wood cross bar or strip 15 whose ends are mounted between the upper ends of each pair of said uprights and said cross bar 15 is preferably nailed to the upper ends of said uprights.

It will be noted that each of the two uprights at each side and at each end of cross bar 15 are parallel to each other and are spaced apart to provide side opening slots and sufficient to provide for the insertion and mounting therebetween of the ends of cross bar 15 and of other parts hereinafter described.

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"2 The adjustable cross bar frame generally designated B comprises an upper cross bar 16Uwhose opposite ends are. secured to and connect a pair of `normally depending parallel arms or members17 and 1.8, 'said'crosslbar 16 t being preferably securedby nails. Said arms 1-7 yand -18 are of .a vlength Vso as to provide Afor elevation of` cross bar 16 to the maximum normally desired height, and said arms 17 and 1'8 are spacedso .that the `inner .faces ythereof will be adjacent and normally slidably engage the outer xdge of the uprights 13 and 14 respectively, -as shown .in

VAs illustrated .in Fig. 2, the Upper 'ends vof the arms 1 5] and 18 are recessed, as at :19, to provide a seat forvthe' cross bar 16. y

As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, two apertured, U-shaped brackets or yokes 20 are secured by-cross bolts 21 onfthe upper end portions of the uprights 11S-'and 14 respectively.,

and nin `a position to extendoutwardlyand horizontally.

lhe eXtendingpor-tions 'of yokes20 are of -a sierto ,permit sliding up 4and down-movement 'therein `of rails lor armsslll and :18 respectively.

The lower end of the :depending arm 117 has secured therein, ,preferably by screws, la pair-of taper,- tured, angular .metal brackets 22, as illustrated in Figs. land 2. f

.Depending farms y18 yhave a pair -of similar angular brackets .23 similarly mounted fon their adjacent lower ends. ASaid brackets 22 land 23 each have a holeintheil innermost end yto .provide @for lmounting ofga Ycrpossbchltor" pin 2 4 whose -face normally slidably 'engages 'the inner :face of the adjacent uprights 14 and :13 respectively, ato there# by provide .a lslid'able mountingrmea'ns for the armsfof the adjustable frame. f Bivotally mounted bet-Ween yeach pair of :uprights .14 and between :each pa'ir of uprights 13are a plurality fof adjuster able stops, pawls or hinge-like arms 25, 26 and 27 and 25a, 26a and 27a, each of whose inner end knuckle portions are reduced and apertured and pivoted on cross pins 28 which pins are mounted in vertically spaced apart holes formed in the two pairs of adjacent uprights. It will be noted that there are two pawls or stops pivoted on each of the 6 spaced apart pins 28, and these are mounted for limited pivoting in the two respective slots between the uprights 14 and 13, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. Each pair of said adjacent pawls or stops have their adjacent end faces opposed and angular as at 29, and in non-alignment with the passaged adjacent knuckle, so that when one of the pawls are moved from an upper position to a maximum lower position, the end face of the pawl being moved will contact the opposed end face of the adjacent pawl to move the latter partially upward to cause the latter pawl to be projected outwardly, for example as illustrated at the lower left of Fig. 3 in full lines.

The upper faces of the pawls 25, 26 and 27 are adapted to contact and hold the under face of the arms 17 and 18 to hold the cross bar frame at the desired height. The outer end faces of the pawls or stops 25a, 26a and 27a are adapted to engage the cross bolts 24 to thereby hold the yokes and cross bar frame at elevated positions which are intermediate the positions in which the other 3 pawls would hold same. Accordingly, where 3 pairs of pawls or stops are provided at each side of the base frame, six dierent positions are attainable for the adjustable cross bar. As shown in Fig. 3, I provide pins or nails 30 and 31 at spaced apart points which are mounted in the uprights substantially at the positions illustrated. Certain of pins 31 limit the downward arcuate movement of pawls 25, 26 and 27 to a horizontal position, and the inner of the pins 31 limit the inward movement of said pawls into the slot between the adjacent uprights. Pins 30 are positioned to limit the inward movement offpawls 25a, 26a and 27a'into the slot between the adjacentuprights,-

It will be understood that|` in inoperative and normally stotjage positions, the adjustable cross bar frames will be ir theiiflowermost position, partially illustrated kin dotted lint-.fs` -inFig 3.Y The desired elevated position of said crossbar' maybe attained by projecting the particular `and'applicable pawls or stop according to height of cross bardesired, `and the particular pair of projected pawls, stops or armswill releasably hold the cross bar frame at the desired height.

As' many changes could be made in the above construction, and as many apparently widely diierent embodiments of my invention within the scope of the claims could be constructed without departing from the spirit and scope-thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

'-I claim:

' 1.1Inv a track hurdle a base having a pair of spaced apart uprights extending inwardly at each side of said base and providing side opening slots; a movable cross bar frame having a pair of depending side arms normally slidable adjacent said uprights; a pair of upper brackets on the upper ends of said uprights and through which saidarms are slidable; an angular metal bracket secured onthe lower end of each of said depending arms and extending inwardly beyond the inner end of each of said arms; a cross pin on the inner end of each of said last mentioned metal brackets; a plurality of hinge like arms pivoted at vertically spaced points on each of said uprights andwithin said slots respectively, and adapted to be selectively projected or retracted to engage the pins of said l'ast'mentioned metal brackets to releasably hold the cross bar frame at the vdesired height.

2. 'In a portable track hurdle, a base having a pair of parallel uprights at each side thereof; a movable cross bar frame-having a pair of depending substantially parallel legs; said frame being vertically slidable with respect 'ofsaid legs respectively, each of said brackets extending about the adjacent upright and slidable in relation thereto; a plurality of arms pivoted to each of said uprights at vertically spaced apart points; said arms being adapted, when projected to engage said metal brackets to releasably brace said cross bar frame in the desired elevated position.

3. An adjustable track hurdle as recited in claim 2 and wherein said arms are pivoted at spaced apart points on each of said uprights and are of a size so that when partially projected beyond the lateral edges of said uprights, any one thereof being adapted to engage and brace against gravity the adjacent kleg of the cross bar frame.

4. In a track hurdle, a base having a pair of spaced parallel uprights, each of said uprights being composed of two vertical members spaced to provide a vertical slot therebetween; a pair of depending legs slidably mounted adjacent said uprights; a U-shaped member secured at the upper ends of said uprights, said legs being slidable therethrough; an inwardly extendingangular bracket on the lower end of each of said legs and having a portion enveloping the adjacent upright; a plurality of pins mounted in each of said uprights at vertically spaced points; and adjustable lever arms pivoted on each of saidj pins and between the members of each upright and eX- tendable beyond the edges of said uprights, any one of said lever arms being positionable to project a portion thereof outwardly and to engage one of said pinsl and tov thereby stop and brace the adjacent depending legs of the cross bar frame.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Reach Nov. 10, 1925 

